Rando's Starfinder 2018 - Zothune (Inactive)

Game Master rando1000

Hey sorry I'm having such trouble lately, I just am so terrible absent-minded since November... trying to get my mind working again but I have no idea how to do so...

No worries, post when you can.

You know, I could just have Esh leap off the crevice and use Flight T1 to just fall down at 60ft. Per round. There's no risk of death for him here.

Hey sorry again. I'm just totally unable to focus on much of anything that takes thinking beyond point and click still, only thing keeping me halfway sane is my friend Gen.

As for current stats, yea I'm still level 4 with an azimuth pistol, but she would definitely upgrade to a corona if given the chance.

Hey sorry again. I'm just totally unable to focus on much of anything that takes thinking beyond point and click still, only thing keeping me halfway sane is my friend Gen.

If you could, please get me a copy of your most up to date character (even if it's a little behind), so I can make up a GM version to use while you're working on whatever issues you're dealing with. I'll continue to pause a while to give you a chance to post first, if you like.

Just sent you the PDF links, save those links as I just overwrite them when I do updates, so as long as you make sure you are seeing the latest version on the site, it will be my latest.

Rando, excuse me, but why isn't Irina healing Sharlavaka?

Rando, excuse me, but why isn't Irina healing Sharlavaka?

Do you control my NPCs now? I wasn't informed. Seriously, she's a medic, not a cleric. She treats people in emergencies or when the combat is over, not every time somebody gets hit.

SerpentViolet wrote:

Rando, excuse me, but why isn't Irina healing Sharlavaka?

Do you control my NPCs now? I wasn't informed. Seriously, she's a medic, not a cleric. She treats people in emergencies or when the combat is over, not every time somebody gets hit.

Sorry, I overstepped.

Having some computer trouble rando, ill get a post on using my tablet tonight though alright? Sorry for my inconveniences

no worries.

Idk if that would require the fighter to have a Drift engine, and I don't see much point unless we expect to find Azlanti vessels when we drop out of the Drift at Zothune.
What is Vera's Piloting anyway? Isis' is at +16.

Once you're in the drift and rigged to the Revenge, you could pilot as long as you stayed close enough to the Revenge to keep your computer connection. If the connection broke, you'd drop out of the Drift.

As far as what good it would do, I was just offering the option. It's 100% up to you.

And Vera is at least 2 points behind you for piloting.

Between Passover, my daughter's college visit, and her prom being this weekend, I'm am SWAMPED. My posting will be limited through this coming weekend. Should open up a bit after that.

Curse your sudden yet inevitable shift in priorities to real life!

But enjoy them. For now.

I believe, after reading the rules again, that I don't have to specifically perform the Target System action every round unless I want to change which one I want to target.

For the start of the next round, I would like to assume the Captain's role and try to provide support where he can via Encourage. Vera is a better pilot then he is, after all.

I believe, after reading the rules again, that I don't have to specifically perform the Target System action every round unless I want to change which one I want to target.

Makes sense. Let's go with that.

For the start of the next round, I would like to assume the Captain's role and try to provide support where he can via Encourage. Vera is a better pilot then he is, after all.

Okay.

Can I assume Sharlavaka has manned the Coilgun, the longest range weapon with highest damage? I plan to assign an Dwarven NPC gunner to the gyrolasers.

Your absolutely can assume that.

If we get a new ship, I'm going to want it to be very much like the Revenge. With Quinn's demise it seems fitting to get a new one. As usual, I expect to get pushy about my recommendations, although I'm confident they are generally sound.

That's fine with me, you seem to be the most knowledgeable in that regard.

Hmm... I wonder if, now that we're a party of three and between adventures if it'd be alright to petition for new players? I've no clue how much story you have planned out for us in that regard.

Hmm... I wonder if, now that we're a party of three and between adventures if it'd be alright to petition for new players? I've no clue how much story you have planned out for us in that regard.

That might give us another gunner. And/or Captain.

Any ideas what we call our new ship?

I have an extensive agenda for use of Build Points. Much of it repeats what we did with the Revenge. After this I don’t want to push for anything.

BP
12 Explorer frame (I think it’s a good size.)
6 thrusters speed 12 (That’s the fastest we can get with a Medium size ship.)
12 shields Light 80
3(if 6th tier) computer firewall (Cheap and effective.)
6 turret: heavy turret mount
12 twin laser, 5d8
6 -> quad laser, 10d8
5 smuggler compartment, scan DC 35
1 arcane laboratory
8 medical bay/life science lab
1 tech workshop/physical science lab (The combination science labs are definitely worth it.)
10 basic long sensors, +2 (These have the best range and add +2.)
0 battery charger
3 aft mount
9 laser net, +10 vs. missiles, range 5 hexes only, 2d6 (This was popular.)
94/155 BP, 153 PCUs
We have forward, port, and starboard weapon arcs to fill. I invite you to look at the rules, p. 302-304. The advantage to gyrolasers was that they extend firing arcs. For instance a port gyrolaser also fires forward and aft, albeit at penalty. Plus they’re cheap. They are short range increment. If you do go for them again, it’s easy to double damage; they’re 3 and double is just +1.
We need Basic Drift engines at minimum.
We need a power core, at least Pulse Red.
A Computer Mark 1 tetranode was popular. Also we might want a ship AI. If not, Isis would be happy to pilot.
Crew quarters can be luxurious again, or not.
I’m sure the party will want to buy Armor.
An antipersonnel weapon at the entry ramp is up for grabs but low priority.
I’d be fine with going one level less on shields and sensors to save Build Points.

I wonder if, now that we're a party of three and between adventures if it'd be alright to petition for new players? I've no clue how much story you have planned out for us in that regard.

I don't necessarily have a limit; certainly the rest of this year, possibly well into next. I would request any new players be able to post once every two days (in general; things come up), since that was what I originally asked of players when I started on here (way back in the Arzata campaign).

I'd be okay with more gunners, a captain (unless Esh wants it full-time), a backup pilot, or even another engineer if need be (though I hate to let Otis go).

I'm up for recruitment, yeah. I would say we should likely hold off on building a new vessel until the new crewmembers can also have a say, as they might have a more complete understanding than Esh and I.

But that never stops me putting forward names...Aeria Gloris (Heaven's Glory) is one I like, as is Anima Libera (Free Souls) for ships. Exsilium (Exile) could also work.

...because when you have a degree in Archaeology, you use it for cool names.

Not gonna lie, those are awesome as hell names.

Yeah, I think those three are pretty well suited to this campaign too.

Here is SerpentViolet's take on a new ship. Obviously still in flux pending new players, if we get any.

New Ship

I sacrificed crew luxury for better sensors. We can reverse it if Esh and Sharlavaka want. (Or we could lose 10 SP from Shields, plus reduce the DC of successfully scanning our smuggler compartments.) I want it to be your call.

Do you all have people in mind for recruiting, or do you want me to open up the recruiting board for the campaign? If so, Esh, do you plan to remaining Science Officer or take over the captain's seat?

Eshenvral is a fairly asthetic person, he doesn't mind loosing out on luxury in favor of a better ship.

I don't have anyone active enough on the boards that I could call on for dropping in myself, least I don't think so. I can ask someone I know if they even know the rules. As for ship roles, Esh only took on the captain's seat temporarily. He doesn't have the right skillset to take on such a job full-time. He's best where he is.

Okay, I threw up the recruitment thread. We'll see what goes.

Wow, already have someone potentially in line as new captain.

And just like that, we have two new players. A captain and...something else. I'll keep you posted.

That was a bit speedier then I was expecting. Weren't going to wait and see what builds and story were like first?

From what I can see, the cost of linking weapons is a little pricier than on the sheet? For example, our twin laser (12 BP) should end up as 30 BP for a twin-linked weapon, right? 12 BP for Laser 1, 12 BP for Laser 2, then 6 BP to Link and mount them.

Here's the rule, for relevance.

If you install two of the same direct-fire weapon in the same firing arc, you can link them together so they fire as one. This costs a number of Build Points equal to half the cost of one of the weapons (rounded down) and consumes a negligible amount of PCU.

I read it differently than you. In fact I'm quite sure. It doesn't say "this also costs" half again the build points. Rando?

Well, the way I'm reading it is like this:

The first part talks about installing a second weapon on the same point - which should cost the same as the first weapon. If you do this, you can then Link the two weapons. This is the part it talks about in terms of 'Half of One of the weapons' as a cost - the Linking, not the whole rig. The way it's written, to me, would read that you have to buy the two weapons before you can pay to have them linked. The same would be true of the PCU cost - that it's the Linking the weapons that doesn't cost any additional PCU, but mounting an entire second weapon would draw the same power as the first.

Also, balance wise, it makes more sense to me that doubling the firepower of each weapon mount should cost more than mounting another weapon, as you have a finite number of mounts on a hull (whatever is listed, plus you can buy extras up one per arc and one additional turret if I'm reading this correctly) and making more efficient use of each mount should be expensive.

The rule isn't well written, and there's no official FAQ, but the few threads I've read generally seem to think that a Link weapon should cost 2.5 the cost of the original, not 1.5. It just makes sense that it should cost more to make one weapon twice as powerful than it would cost to mount two of them, at least in terms of balance.

I can see both sides. One the one hand, a weapon should cost what it costs, and if you have two buy two and link them, you first need to buy two, which means the cost should be at least equal to the cost of two weapons.

On the other hand, while the damage dice is higher, you only get one hit roll, meaning if you miss, you don't get another chance with the same weapon.

By way of compromise, let's split it down the middle and screw the ambiguous RAW. Cost is the same whether they're linked or not. This is my ruling.

So Linked weapons cost the same as two weapons? Cool.

I see Rando has made a ruling, and that works well in his game, but the RAW is pretty clear to me.

Each weapon has to be purchased individually.
Each weapon has to be placed in an individual mount (in the same arc if you intend to link them; turrets can hold multiple mounts).
Each mount has to be individually upgraded to be large enough to hold weapons heavier than light, if applicable.

AFTER you have both weapons mounted onto the ship on the same arc/turret, THEN you can spend the points to link them.

Yes, you only get 1 to-hit with linked weapons, but that also means it only takes a standard fire action from a single gunner to get the benefit of both weapons hitting, should you hit. Without a link, the gunner has to take the penalty for multiple attacks in a round to fire more than 1 weapon.

I'm doing a Skype Dead Suns run, and we put the biggest linked guns in our turret that we could afford. The results have been very advantageous.

Edit: To help with why I think it is clear . . .. Look at the first sentence of the Linking Weapons sidebar: "If you install two of the same direct-fire weapon in the same firing arc, you can link them together so they fire as one." This means you have to buy the mount and weapon before you can link them, because the option doesn't exist until after you have two of the same weapon in the same arc.

Yeah, that was my thinking, only using the words that live in my brain instead of the words I type bad. Didn't consider the mount bit, though.

Part of my thinking, at the moment, is that maybe we wanna change our frame from an Explorer to a Transport, despite the duller name. That way we could focus on arming the two turrets with the most horrific weapons we can manage, then maybe upgrade the front weapon so we can Link something heavy there, and finally start adding flank weapons - if we have the crew to fire them.

Plus the extra Expansion Bay might be useful. But I'm not sure how big a downgrade the reduced manoeuvrability is, and if that's worth the extra turret/bay.

In the small variety of tables I've seen, pilot winning initiative and maneuverability combine to make life MUCH, MUCH easier. For instance, you get to pick which shields they can shoot at. Since balancing the shields ONLY lets you move (any number of SP) from one side to one other side, picking where they can shoot is a bigger deal than you might think.

I have been doing the upgrades for our ship in Dead Suns. Biggest guns linked in the turret. Next biggest gun is AFT. Highest pre-combat shield? Aft. We generally have Captain, Pilot, Gunner, 2ndGunner/back-up Tech, Tech (Computer/Engineering). When the pilot and main gunner are getting their jobs done, we can USUALLY get away with only 1 tech alternating between positions as required.

Depending on how good the pilot is, skill can overcome the reduced maneuverability, I think. But, I don't know how good the pilot is. <grin>

If Isis pilots she's got +17, which IMHO is damn good.

Hustonj, what's your take on our 155 Build Points? (Scroll up to where I railroaded our ship before you signed on.)
SV

In the small variety of tables I've seen, pilot winning initiative and maneuverability combine to make life MUCH, MUCH easier. For instance, you get to pick which shields they can shoot at. Since balancing the shields ONLY lets you move (any number of SP) from one side to one other side, picking where they can shoot is a bigger deal than you might think.

Sounds like you've got quite the rules knowledge. Take it easy on me, I tend to be a kind of off-the-cuff ruling kind of guy. Players who need everything to be exactly RAW have occasionally expressed problems with my easy-going style.

I don't generally argue about rules unless we're talking character deaths or what looks to be a hard failure on the goal, and I think a rules "correction" can fix it.

I "grew up" as a computer programmer, so parsing rules is really inherent to my training. Started that back in '85.

If a conversation starts up, I'll be happy to add an opinion, but, the whole point of table-top role-play gaming is working together to tell a story we can all enjoy. The rules are supposed to be a tool that supports doing so. They are not the game, nor should they be the ultimate definition of what's possible within a story.

I hope you understand, but I'm going to not look at the ship build until I've finished the higher priority task of getting the dwarf built and submitted!

Under Science Officer Actions, Balance, it also says "Alternatively, you can add up the SP from all the remaining shields and evenly distribute them to all four quadrants, putting any excess SP in the forward quadrant." Was there a FAQ rules change I don't know about?

Nope. Never wanted to actually BALANCE the shields. Always wanted a heavier shield to let the enemy shoot at. If you've lost init, especially against multiple enemies, you might want to do that, but I can't see it as normal. Maybe if you were far enough out that a missile is chasing you and the bad guy is doing direct fire form another side?

Also, Engineering boosting the shields gets called wrong, frequently. The points are evenly distributed around the ship (as much as possible). Generally, we've ruled odd points are assigned to the weakest shied sides first, though the book says front.

Just finished purchasing gear. Need Languages, a name, a description . . .. Oh. And dinner. I need to make myself something to eat!

Weakness! Eating is for winners and people with finished character sheets! We will allow you a 5 minute break to eat a small MRE, and then you must return to working on your character.

But yeah, really glad I chose to be the guy who makes the guns go PEW! at things.

...spaaaace laaaaasers.

Hey y'all, I'm the (potential) new captain. My character should be mostly done, but there's a little last touching up to do.

Seems like an interesting guy! Just know that as cold as may seem, it's just because he hates non-elves for being genetically inferior- Ah, I mean, he's just... An aloof person! ;)